Knitting machine



Jan. 9. 1934. A. E. STEWART 1,943,265

KNITTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 9. 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 9, 1934.

A. E. STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9. 1929 a Sheets-Sheei 2 Jan. 9, 1934. STEWART 1,943,265

KNITTING. MACHINE Filed Nov. 9. 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 9, 1934. A. E. STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 9, 1934. A. E. STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9. 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan. 9', 1934. A. E. STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1929 S Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Jan.- 9, 1934 KNITTING MACHINE Albert E. Stewart, Franklin, N. H., assignor to Acme Knitting Machine & Needle Company, Franklin, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application November 9, 1929 Serial N0. 405,949

14 Claims. (01. 66-135) This invention relates to knitting machines. It is more especially concerned with knitting machines of the circular type in which looper elements are associated with the needles and are arranged to loop supplemental threads around certain of the needles at predetermined times while the needles continue to knit with the main thread, and thus act to produce stripes, figures, or pattern effects.

It is the chief object of the invention to improve machines of this character with a view to producing a greater variety of patterns in a given -machine than has been possible heretofore, facilitating the changing of patterns, making the ma-- chines more reliable, simplifying their construction and reducing the manufacturing expense.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, 20 and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lower portion of a circular knitting machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates the-construction of the adjustable cam bars hereinafter described;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section of the upper portion of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Y r

Fig. 5 illustrates, conventionally, a fabric having a design typical of those which can be produced on the machine herein illustrated;

Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of the looper head hereinafter'described, showing also a part of the latch ring;

Fig. 7 is'a top plan view of the head shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 illustrates the operation of one of the loopers hereinafter described;

Fig. 9 illustrates the operation of a modified form of looper element;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the sheet metal blank from which a looper preferably is made;

Figs. 11 to 18, inclusive, are elevations of the eight different kinds of looper elements incorporated in the machine hereinafter described;

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one arrangement of the butts of the loopers;

Fig. 20 is a sectional detail view of a portion of the looper head;

- Fig. 21 is a fragmentary plan-view of a portion of the needle controlling cam mechanism;

parts shown in Fig. 22 is an elevation of a portion of the fixed cam ring showing some of the parts illustrated in Fig. 21 mounted thereon;

Fig.23 is a diagrammatic development of portions of the latch ring, cam ring and row of needles;

Fig. 24 is a horizontal section on line 24-24 of Fig. 4; a

Figs. 25 and 26 are enlarged views illustrating details of the actuating mechanism for the pattern drum hereinafter described;

Fig. 2'7 is a sectional detail view illustrating a looper, its support and relationship to the latch ring;

Fig. 28 illustrates the arrangement of the cam bar ends; and

Fig. 29 is a development of the pattern drum.

For purposes of illustration, the invention is herein shown as applied to the hosiery knitting machine known commercially as the Acme Model D machine. Whilethe invention can be used either in a machine of the stationary or revolv lng needle cylinder type, the particular machine shown is of the latter construction and includes an upright needle cylinder 1, Fig. 4, a circular series of latch needles 2 mounted in said cylinder, and a cam ring 3 carrying the cams for operating said needles. The vertically movable knitting peedles include both long and short butt needles, as is common'in hosiery knitting machines, and the usual mechanisms are provided for manipulating the needles to cause them to knit the leg, heel, foot-and toe of a stocking automatically and in the usual manner. Since the general construction of this 'machine is well known, no detailed description of it is necessary, but for convenience in explaining the operation of features provided by this invention, it may be pointedout that the machine includes the usual main drive shaft 5, pattern shaft 7, and main cam shaft 8, the two shafts 7 and 8, Fig. 1, being driven in the usual manner so that they each make one complete revolution during the knitting of the stocking. The main thread manipulated by the needles is fed to them through the eye 50, Fig. 23, in the thread ring 21, as is usual in these machines.

While the knitting operation with the main thread or' yarn proceeds uninterruptedly, a mechanism providedmy this invention may be brought into operation to present one or more supplemental threads to certain selected needles to cause these needles to knit both threads simultaneously into the fabric and thus to produce pattern effects. This mechanism includes thread guiding devices, herein referred to as loopers, certain of which are shown at 30 in Figs. 1, 6 and '7. Each looper is associated with an individual needle 2 and revolves in unison with it. For this purpose, as well as for giving the loopers their operative movement, the loopers are supported in a looper head mounted above the needle cylinder and comprising a hollow tubular body portion 9, Figs. 1, 4 and 6, having a cap 10 secured to its upper end. A spindle 11 of square cross section is secured rigidly to this cap and extends upwardly through a square aperture 12, Fig. 4, provided in a plate 13 which is secured rigidly-to, or forms part of, the hub of a gear 14. This gear may also be regarded as including the parts 15 and 16. It is rotatably supported in a bracket arm 1'7 which forms a part of the machine frame and is mounted on the upper end of the hollow post 26. The gear 14 is driven by another gear 22 fast on the upper end of the vertical shaft 23 which extends through the post 26 and has a gear 24 at its lower end meshing with a spur gear '25 revolving with the needle cylinder.

Through these connections the looper head 9 is compelled to revolve in unison with the needle cylinder and is held constantly in a substantially fixed angular relationship to said cylinder. This relationship may be adjusted angularly by turning the adjusting screws 139139, Fig. 24, which bear against opposite sides of the lug 138 integral with the gear 14. The adjusting screws are threaded through lugs integral with the ring 15 which is adjustably secured to the gear rim 14 by screws 141. Consequently, by loosening these screws and backing up one adjusting screw 139 and advancing the other, the angular relationship between the needle cylinder and the looper head can be adjusted very accurately, as will be obvious to those skilled in this art. When once adjusted, the screws 141 are set up thus securing the parts 14 and 15 rigidly together.

The square shaft 11 extends upwardly through the tubular hub member 16 of the gear 14, and at a point above said member is provided with a laterally extending arm 19 in which an upright pin 20 is secured, the lower end of this pin resting on the upper end of the hub member 16. These parts serve to support the looper head in a fixed vertical position above the cylinder.

Supported on the gear hub 16 is a bobbin stand 40, Fig. 4, having a series of upright spindles 41 projecting from its upper side, each adapted to hold a bobbin 42 of supplemental yarn. The bobbin holder is arranged to support a number of bobbins corresponding to the number of loopers used, and the latter number may equal the number of needles mounted in the cylinder. Since this bobbin support is carried by the hub member 16 of the gear 14 the bobbins revolve with the loopers. The thread or yarn drawn from each bobbin is led through a yarn guide 43, thence under a ring 44, through guide eyes 45 and 46 in the bobbin stand 40 and gear 15, respectively, to another guide eye 47, Fig. 6, and thence to its respective looper 30. The ring 44 consists of the rim of a structure resembling a wire' wheel and having a hub 48 supported on the upper end of the spindle 11, this rim or ring serving to tension the supplemental yarns.

The construction and mounting of the loopers form important features of this invention; Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 and 10 to 18, inclusive, it will be seen that each looper 30 is made of sheet metal and is provided at an intermediate point in its length with an open sided .from their upper arms.

fulcrum notch 33. Also, that it has an arm extending downwardly from this notch and provided near its lower extremity with yarn guiding eyes 37, and another arm extending upwardly from the notch and provided with one or more laterally extending lugs. ers are made from a looper blank of the form shown at 30', Fig. 10, this blank having a series, in this instance eight, of lugs designated at a to 11?, inclusive. These lugs are all formed integral with the blank and the stock of which they are made is suiiiciently thin so that those lugs not needed on any individual looper may be broken off. Figs. 11 to 18 show eight diiferent loopers made from a blank like that shown in Fig. 10, these loopers differing from each other simply in the location of the lugs which extend laterally The presence of these lugs permits the selective operation of the loopers by appropriate pattern mechanism.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 6 and '7, it will be seen that the looper head 9 is provided with a horizontally extending flange 28 which is slotted radially, as indicated at 29, to receive the individual loopers. Corresponding slots 39 are formed in the lower side of the cap piece 10 to guide the upper ends of the loopers. The looper head 9 is also grooved, as shown at 31, Fig. 6, to receive a split fulcrum ring 32 consisting of two semi-circular pieces mounted in said groove, the outer edge of this ring being rounded to fit the rounded contour of the fulcrum notches 33 in the loopers. The entire series of loopers is seated on this fulcrum ring and they are held against the ring by an endless elastic band 36 which may conveniently consist of a coiled spring. Each looper has a notch 35 provided with an arcuate face 34, Fig. 6, formed in the edge thereof opposite to its fulcrum notch and concentric with it, and the spring 36 is seated in this notch. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 6 that the spring lies substantially in the plane of the fulcrum ring 32, that its action on the arcuate faces 34 of the loopers is simply one of holding the loopers seated on the ring, and that it has no appreciable tendency to swing the loopers in either direction on their fulcra. It may also be pointed out that the fulcrum notch of each looper is located closely adjacent to its center of gravity so that as the looper head revolves with the needle cylinder the centrifugal action on one arm of each looper is substantially balanced by that on the other. Each individual looper, therefore, will remain in any position to which it is adjusted.

The number of loopers required will depend upon the nature of the pattern or design to be made. In atypical machine of this type the number of needles used may vary substantially, some machines using, say, one hundred twenty (120) needles, where other machines will have one hundred sixty (160), two hundred (200), or some other number. The number of loopers may, in some cases, equal the number of needles used,

but more commonly a much smaller number of loopers than needles is employed. Fig. '7 shows two banks of loopers 30 arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the looper head, the particular Preferably these loopgroup of loopers shown being suitable for theproduction of a'design, such as that shown in Fig. 5. When the groups of loopers are separated from each other in this manner it is desirable to use sheet metal props 51, Figs. 1- and 26, at in-' tervals in the looper head in order better to support the elastic band 36.

For the purpose of operating these loopers cam bars b to b are arranged in a vertical stack beside the path of travel of the upper arms of the loopers, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6. The cam bars b, b, b etc. are spaced apart vertically by the same distances as are the lugs a, a) of the loopers and are located horizontally opposite the latter so that each cam cooperates only with those looper lugs which are in the same hori-: zontal plane with it. In the particular machine shown there are eight cam bars and eight frangible lugs on each looper blank, all of these lugs, except one, usually being broken off. The cam bar b engages only the lugs a, etc. Consequently, the order in which the loopers will be operated depends partly upon the relative positions of their lugs and is entirely independent of the arrangement of the loopers in the machine.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that each cam bar has a cam face or edge 55 at its forward end to be engaged by the lugs of the loopers as they rotate past the ends of the bars. The entire tier of cam bars b, b,. etc. is supported at one end by an arm 60, Fig. 2, pivoted at 61 on the frame of the machine, and at its opposite end by a bracket 62; Figs. 1 and 2, mounted on the upper end of a post 63 which forms a part of the machine frame. A pin 65 fixed in the bracket projects through a slot 64 formed near the rearward or left-hand end, Fig. 3, of each bar. At its forward end each cam bar is provided with an oblique slot 66 through which an upright stud 67 projects from the end of the arm 60. Washers on the studs 65 and 67 hold the bars spaced from each other. A series of springs 58, Fig. 2, each anchored at one end to the bracket 62 and connected at its opposite end to one of the bars b, b, etc. tend to draw the bars backwardly and thus to hold them in their operative or looper operating positions. In order to control the positions of the cam bars selectively, a pattern drum 57 is provided and is arranged to act on a series of eight levers c to 0 inclusive, each lever being arranged to engage the drum at one end and to act on one of the cam bars at its opposite end. All of the levers are mounted on a fulcrum post 56, Fig. 2. The eight cam bars b consist of two sets of four each and the rear ends of three of the bars of each set are notched to varying degrees, as shown in Fig. 3, so that each of these notched bars is provided with a finger 143. The two middle cam bars 1: and b are not notched. This provides a stepped arrangement which is useful in selectively operating the bars. As shown in Fig. 28 the end of each of the four upper levers 0, c c 0 are bent downwardly and engage the rear ends, respectively, of the cam bars b, b b b Also, the four lower levers c c 0 and e" have upwardly bent ends which engage the rearward ends, respectively, of the cam bars b b b and b". The springs 58-58 operate through the cam bars to hold the rearward ends of the levers against the pattern drum. This drum carries a series of removable cam blocks or segments '75, Fig. 29, located in grooves '76 formed horizontally in the drum, spaces '77 being left between the ends of certain of the adjacent cam blocks or .strips into which theends of the levers can be moved at times by the springs 58. When the ends of any one of the levers 0, c 0 etc. drops into one of these spaces '77 the spring 58 which acts through that particular lever moves the cam bar for that lever into its operative position where it can engage the looper lugs located in the same horizontal plane with it. As soon, however, as

the cam drum is rotated far enough to cause one of the blocks '75 to swing the lever outwardly again, its opposite end acts on its respective cam bar to force the latter into its inoperative posi-- tion. The movement of the cam bars into and out of their operative positions, therefore, is controlled by the arrangement of the cam blocks or segments on the pattern drum.

When one of the cam bars engages a lug of a looper 30 it forces the lower end of the lopper from a position inside the circular series of needles 2through said series, between two adjacent needles, into a position outside of the circle of needles as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 6. A recess 18 is formed in the thread ring 21 to permit this movement of the thread guiding ends of the loopers. The movement of this end of a looper is illustrated in Fig. 8. It will be observed that the opposite edges of the lower end of the looper are bevelled. Also, that the lower end of the looper is radially disposed and is in radial. alinement with its respective needle 2. Consequently, when the lower end of this looper is swung outwardly its bevelled edge engages the needle with which it is associated and cams this needle to one side as it passes through the row of needles. An instant later the shoulder 79, Fig. 6, of the looper strikes a stationary cam 71, Fig. 2, and swings the looper back into its normal position, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 6, where the lower end of the looper lies inside the circular row of needles. During this inward swinging movement the, inner bevelled edge of the looper acts on the needle in alinement with it to cam this needle in the opposite direction to that in which it was moved during the outward movement of the looper end. In other words, the looper passes through the row of needles at one side of the individual needle with with it is associated as it moves outwardly and then passes by said needle on the opposite side of it as the looper moves inwardly. It therefore wraps the 'yarn which it carries around theshank of the needles. As an alternative construction the lower end of each looper 30 may be twistedslightly, as shown in Fig. 9, in which case it will have the same action as that above described.

Before wrapping the supplemental yarns around the respective needles it is preferable to lift them into approximately the elevation to which they are normallp moved preparatory to taking the main yarn, and for this purpose an auxiliary or supplemental cam 4, Figs. 2, 4, 21 and 23, isprovided to engage the butts of the 13 needles 2 before they reach the elevating cam and before they come into position to receive the supplemental yarns presented to them by their respective loopers. The supplemental yarn is wrapped around the shank of each' needle between the time that it passesthe cam ends of the bars b, b b etc. and the time when it would normally take the main yarn guided through the eye 50, Fig-23. Prior to reaching the main eye the looper is swung back into its normal position, thus completing the wrapping of its supplemental yarnaround the needle shank. .Ihe butt of the needle then engagesthe stitch cam 72, Fig. 23, it takes the main knitting yarn, and is depressed or caused to knit as it passes the 1 point of the stitch cam. Due to the relative positions of the main and supplemental threads on the needles, the latter thread comes to the face of the goods in the finished-fabric," as is well understood by those skilled in this art. The control of the supplemental thread during this knitting operation may be further facilitated by positioning a cam 149, Figs. 23 and 27, inside the thread ring 21 where it will engage the supplemental yarn running from the needle to the looper as the needle is moved downwardly to knit, this cam having an inclined edge 150, Fig.

1 and 2, it will be seen that the pattern drum is rotatably mounted on the upper end portion of an upright rock shaft 95. The drum is rigidly connected by a sleeve with a ratchet wheel 96 having teeth engaged by a spring pressed pawl 97 that is pivotally mounted on the free end of an arm 98 fast on said rock shaft 95. Also mounted freely on the rock shaft 95 below the ratchet wheel 96 is a ratchet shield lever 99 connected by a link 100 with a lever 101 fulcrumed at 102 on the frame of the machine andyieldingly held by a spring (not shown) against a cam wheel 103, Figs. 1 and 2, fast on the pattern shaft 7. During the operation of the machine the pawl 97 is vibrated and except when prevented from doing so, moves the ratchet wheel 96 one tooth during each complete oscillation. Since no pattern effects are desired in the heel and toe of the stocking being knit, the cam 103 is arranged to operate through its connections with the shield 99 to render the pawl 97 ineffective while the heel and toe are being knit. This control is readily effected. due to the fact that the shaft 7, as above pointed out, makes one complete revolution during the knitting of each complete stocking. This machine also includes a shield latch 104 under the control of a cam 105 on the pattern shaft 7, this feature and the control of the pawl by the shield both being like the corresponding features disclosed in my earlier application above identified.

The present invention includes improvements in the mechanism for operating the pattern drum designed particularly to permit a changein the ratio between the stepping of the drum and the revolutions of the needle cylinder while the knitting operation continuesv uninterruptedly. The mechanism for operating the pawl 97 includes an arm 106, Fig. 1, secured on the rock shaft 95 to which one end of a link 107 ispivotally connected. The opposite end of this link is pivoted to one arm of a lever 108 fulcrumed on a stud 109 projecting horizontally from the frame of the machine, the lever being slidable axially on this stud. The other arm of this lever carries a roll 129 arranged-to be engaged by any one of several cams carried by a gear 131 which is driven by a pinion 132 fast on the main driving shaft 5 of the machine. In the upper side of the stud 109 is a groove 110 in which a shipper yoke 111 is'slidably mounted, this yoke embracing the hub of-the lever, as clearly shown in Fig. 25. A spring 112 connects this yoke with a pin 113 on the frame of the machine and yieldingly holds the inner end of the shipper yoke against one side of a slidable cam bar 114, bestshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 25. This cam bar has three steps 115, 116

and 117 of different widths, any one of which may be brought into engagement with the inner end of the shipper bar 111 and thereby adjust the lever 108 into any one of three positions longitudinally of its stud 109.

As usual in these machines the main drive shaft 5 makes one revolution for each revolution of the needle cylinder. The ratio of the gears 131 and 132, however, is such that the latter makes four revolutions for each revolution of the former. The gear 131 has a cam integral with it or secured to it which has four lobes- 134, 135, 136 and 137, Figs. 1 and 25, which are stepped or of difierent widths so that by adjusting the lever 103 on the stud 109 the cam roll 129 can be positioned to cooperate either with the single lobe 137, or with the two lobes 136 and 137, or with all four lobes. The lobe 137 is wider or of greater axial dimensions than the other lobes. That of the lobes 134 and 135 is the same but of less width than that of any of the other lobes, and that of the lobe 136 is intermediate between 134 and 137. If, therefore, the lever 108 is held .in its outermost position as it would be when the step 115 of the cam 114 lies between it and the frame of the machine, the cam roll 129 will then be engaged by the lobe 137 only and the pawl 97 will be oscillated once only during each four revolutions of the needle cylinder. If the lever 108 rests on the step 116 the pawl 97 then will make two oscillations for each four revolutions of the needle cylinder, and if it rests on the step 117 the pawl will be oscillated once for each' revolution of the needle cylinder.

Provision is made for utilizing the movement of the pattern drum 57 to shift the position of the cam bar 114 during the knitting operation to change the feeding movement of the pattern drum as desired. For this purpose the bar 114 is slotted, as shown at 118, Fig. 1, to receive a stud 119 projecting laterally from one of the three arms of the lever 120. A spring 121 connects the stud 119 with the outer end of the cam bar 114 and tends to hold theouter end of the slot 118 constantly against the stud 119. Another spring 123 acts on the lever 120 to urge the upright arm of this lever away from the stud 109. The third arm of the lever .120 is connected by a link 124 with a lever 125, Figs. 1 and 2, fulcrumed at 126 on the frame, of the machine. This lever carries a roll 127 which bears on the upper edge of the pattern drum 57, the spring-123 serving to press the roll toward the pattern drum. Removable cam segments 128 and 128 Fig. 29, of different heights are secured to the upper edge of the drum to engage said roll 127. These cam segments may be made of different lengths as well as of different heights.

During the operation of the machine the cam segments 128 and 128 act at predetermined move the cam bar 114 toward the right, Fig. 1, the

extent of this movement .depending upon the heights of the cams. As above indicated, this movement adjusts one or another of the steps of the cam bar under the lever 108, thus moving the lever axially of its stud 109 into position to bring the cam roll 121 into operative relationship to any desired set of the cam lobes on the gear 131. This, as above stated, will result in a change in the ratio of the movement of the pattern drum to the revolutions of the needle. cylinder. When the roll 127 passes off one of the cams 128 or 128, the spring 123 slides the cam bar 114 backwardly or toward the left, Fig. 1, to an extent determined by the surface engaged by the roll 127.

A simple design which may be produced in this machine is illustrated in Fig. 5. The pattern drum development shownin Fig. 29 is appropriate or suitable for the production of this design and when cooperating with two groups of loopers arranged as shown in Fig. 7, will produce such a design at opposite sides of the stocking leg. Fifteen loopers are required in each group for this purpose and their lugs should be arranged as shown in Fig. 19. This particular design requires thirty-two courses for its production and is automatically repeated in the next thirty-two courses. Fig. 5 shows thedesign as it would appear on the fabric when hanging inside the needle cylinder, it being bornein mind that in this position the lowermost course was knit first and that the upper course shown in Fig. 5 is the last one knit.

Starting at the right-hand side of Fig. 29 it will be observed that the end of the lever c rests in a groove next to the top groove of the pattern drum. This lever controls the cam bar b. Referring to Fig. 19 it will be clear that this cam bar, therefore, actuates the lug a of one of the loopers and, as the drum is stepped along, results in producing the stripe 146. The recess 144 in the pattern drum arrives in position to admit its lever c at the same time that the cam 128 comes into position under the cam roll 27. Both the recess 144 and the cam 128 are two-steps in angular length of the drum 57. The cam, therefore, will hold the lever 125 in a raised position while the drum makes these two steps, and in doing so shifts the cam roll 129, Fig. 1, on to the wide lobe 137 so that the drum is given one step movement for each four revolutions of the needle cylinder. The recess 144 cooperates with the cam lever c and results in the actuation of the looper lugs a to produce the two stripes 145-445, Fig. 4. Each of these stripes is eight courses in length, due to the change in ratio which has been produced. When the drum is stepped along far enough to move the lever 0 out of the recess 144 the stripes 145 are stopped, but a moment later the lever 0 drops into the recess 147, Fig. 9, and atthe same time the cam 128 lifts the roll 127 and shifts the. operating mechanism for the drum to a two to one ratio. Consequently, while the recess 147 is only two steps long, the stripes 148-148 which are made as a result of it are each four courses in length. These two stripes are stopped one course ahead of the stripe 146 and the machine then starts to make the diamond figure at the upper end of the pattern shown in Fig.5. When the lever 0 drops into the recess 77 the cam bar b is operated, thus engaging two looper lugs (l -a Fig. 19, and results in the production of the two dots 151, Fig. 5. The manner in which the other elements of the diamond figure are produced will, it is believed, be entirely clear without further explanation.

It will also be clear that by using a diflere'nt arrangement of the segments in the uppermost groove of the pattern drum to operate the lever 125, the same arrangement of cam blocks'or segments and of'lugs shown in Fig. 19 could be made to produce a figure differing'quite materially from that shown in Fig. 5.

It will also be observed that the sequence of operation of the loopers depends upon the arrangement of their lugs and the arrangement of the cam segments or blocks in the pattern drum 57. Due to this fact the loopers can be operated in any desired-sequence and entirely independent pf their relative positions in the looper head. The cam segments 75 are held in the pattern drum 57 by screws s0 that they can readily be changed. It may also be pointed out that the peculiar mounting of the loopers in the looper head, as shown for example, in Figs. 6 and 7, greatly facilitates the removal and replacement of the loopers. By slipping the elastic band 36 downwardly the entire set of loopers may be removed, or in a similar way any individual looper may be removed and a different one substituted for it.

The points at which the pattern mechanism is brought into operation during the knitting of the stocking or thrown out again may be controlled through the cams 103 or 105 on the pattern shaft 7.

In order to prevent any possibility of the loopers being operated during reciprocating knitting, as in the production of the heel and toe pockets, a cam 80, Figs. 1, 2 and 21, fast on the pattern shaft '7, is arranged to cooperate with one arm of a lever 81 fulcrumed at 82 on the frame of the machine. Another arm of this lever is arranged to engage a pin or stud 83 projecting from the hub of the arm 60 previously referred to. As above pointed out, this pattern shaft 7 makes'one complete revolution only during theproductionof each stocking and'the cam 80 is shaped and timed to act through the connections just described to swing the arm 60 away from the looper head 9 at the start of the heel and to hold the arm in this position during the entire knitting of the heel, toe and foot. The hub 61 of the lever-60 has another pin 68, Fig. 2, extending therefrom to which a spring 69 is connected, the spring being anchored to a stationary part of the frame. This spring tends to hold the arm 60 in its inner or operative position, this position being determined by the adjustment of a stop screw '70. When the arm is thrown outwardly, as above described, the pin 67 which it carries and which extends through the slot 66 in each of the bars b to b", inclusive, moves all of the bars away from the looper head where they are out of the path of travel of the looper lugs.

During reciprocating knitting it is also necessary to move the supplemental cam 4 which, as

above described, raises the needles at an abnormally early point, into an inoperative position where it cannot engage the butts of the needles.

As shown in Figs. -21 and 22 this cam is mounted on the inner end of a slide 85 which is guided in ways formed in the cam ring 3 so as to move radially toward and from the needle cylinder. A spring 94 acts on this slide to hold it normally in its operative position. Projecting from the lower side of the slide is a stud 87 arranged to cooperate withan inclined surface 88 on the forward end of a cam bar 89 the latter end of which is slidably mounted in a-guideway 90 in the cam ring 3. At its opposite end the cam bar 89 is pivotally connected with one arm of a bell crank lever 91, the other arm of which carries a cam roll 92 arranged to engage a cam order to transfer a ribbed cufi to them. Provision is made for this operation in the machine shown by the mounting of the looper head. That is, the head can be raised, the spindle l1 sliding through the square hole in the plate 13 and the head may be temporarily secured in this elevated position by means of a post or block placed on the bobbin holder beneath the lower end of the pin 20, Fig. 4.

It will be observed that while the loopers are selectively moved outwardly through the circular row of needles by the pattern mechanism operating through the cam bars b, b etc. all the loopers are returned to their normal positions inside the circle of needles by the single stationary cam '71, this cam engaging the outer edges of the loopers at the shoulders '79, Fig. 6. It will also be clear that all the loopers are operated in essentially the same time relationship to the stitch forming operations of their respective needles.

The invention thus provides a machine of relatively simple organization in which an almost endless variety of patterns can be produced automatically, and in which the changes required to shift from one pattern to another can be made easily and quickly. Furthermore, the yarns are controlled very definitely and positively so that the opportunity for errors in design are reduced to a minimum. The nature of the mechanism for handling the supplemental yarns is such that not only can practically any color combination be obtained, but yarns differing widely from each other in physical characteristics can be handled with certainty and precision.

While I have herein shown and described a typical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction and that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described myinvention, what I desire to claim as new is:

l. A knitting machine having, in combination, a series of needles, a support for said needles, means for operating said needles to produce a knit fabric, a series of loopers associated, respectively, with individual needles of said series and serving to guide supplemental yarns,- respectively, to their respective needles, each of said loopers having an open sided fulcrum socket in one edge thereof, a fulcrum ring entering the sockets of said loopers and on which the loopers are mounted for rocking'movement, a looper head on which said ring is mounted, andmeans for engaging the edges of said loopers at points opposite their respective sockets to hold the loopers seated on said fulcrum ring.

2. A circular knitting-machine having, in combination, a circular series of needles, an upright cylinder for supportingsaid needles, means for guiding a main yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to produce a knit fabric, a series of loopers associated, respectively, with individual needles of said circular series and each serving to guide a supplemental yarn to the needle with which it is associated, a looper carrying head mounted above said needles, said head including a fulcrum ring, each of said loopers having an open sided fulcrum socket in one edge thereof engaging said ring, an elastic band encircling the series of loopers and holding them seatedon said ring, and pattern mechanism for e eiigting said loopers automatically and selecive 3. A circular knitting machine having, .in combination, a circular series of needles, an upright cylinder for supporting said needles, means for guiding a main yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to produce a knit fabric, a series of loopers associated, respectively, with individual needles of said circular series and each serving to guide a supplemental yarn to the needle with which it is associated, a looper carryinghead mounted above said needles and including a slotted cap piece and a fulcrum ring, each looper having a central fulcrum'socket seated on said ring and two arms, one extending downwardly from said socket and the other extending upwardly therefrom, the latter arm being guided in one of the slots in said cap piece, and pattern mechanism for automatically operating said loopers in predetermined sequence.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a looper for knitting machines comprising a. bar of sheet metal having a yarn guiding aperture adjacent to one end thereof and provided between its ends with an open sided fulcrum socket in one edge thereof and with a band receiving notch in the opposite edge, said notch having an arcuate face opposite said socket and concentric with said socket.

5. As a new article ofmanufacture, a looper for knitting machines'comprising a bar of sheet metal having a yarn guiding aperture adjacent to one end thereof, said looper having an open sided fulcrum socket in one edge thereof and a band receiving notch in the opposite edge approximately in alinement with said socket, said notch having a convexly curved face for the band to bear against.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a looper for knitting machines comprising a bar of sheet metal having a yarn guiding aperture adjacent to one end thereof and provided at one edge with a fulcrum engaging face positioned closely adjacent to the center of gravity of the looper, said bar having a notch in its opposite edge to receive a band for holding the looper on its fulcrum,

said notch having an arcuate face substantially concentric with said fulcrum engaging face.

7. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with knitting instrumentalities including a vertical needle cylinder and needles supported therein for producing a knit fabric, of a looper head mounted above said cylinder, a series of loopers associated, respectively, with individual needles of said series and serving to guide supplemental yarns, respectively, to their respective needles, said looper head including a hollow body and a split fulcrum ring removably mounted on said body and supporting said loopers for swinging movement transversely across the path of movement of said needles, each of said loopers having an open sided fulcrum socket in one edge thereof to engage said ring and being provided at its opposite edge with an arcuate notch substantially concentric with said socket, and an elastic band encircling said head and seated in said notch of each looper, said band being located substantially in the plane of said ring and serving to hold said loopers in engagement with said ring but permitting them to swing on thering.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with knitting instrumentalities including an upright needle cylinder and needles supported therein for producing a knit fabric, of a looper head -mounted above said cylinder, a series of loopers mounted in said head and associated, re-

, octively, with individual needles in said series,

said loopers serving to guide supplemental yarns to their respective needles, said loopers having lugs projecting therefrom with the lugs of said certain loopers located at difierent elevations from those of other loopers, a series of cam bars mounted at one side of said looper head and ar ranged at different elevations for engaging the lugs of said loopers and operating them selectively, a pattern drum having removable cam elements, connections between said elements and said cam bars for selectively operating the cam bars, means for driving said pattern drum, and .means under the control of the pattern mechanism of the machine for automatically changing the driving ratio between the movement of said pattern drum and the speed of themachine while the knitting operation continues uninterruptedly.

9. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with knitting instrumentalities including an upright needle cylinder and needles supported therein for producing a knit fabric, of a looper head mounted above said cylinder, a series of loopers mounted in said head and associated, respectively, with individual needles in said series, said loopers serving to guide supplemental yarns to their respective needles, said loopers having lugs projecting therefrom with the lugs of said certain loopers located at different elevations from those of other loopers, a series of cam bars mounted at one side of said looper head and arranged at different elevations for engaging the lugs of said loopers and operating them selectively, means supporting said looper head to be raised and lowered, said cam bars being located far enough away from the looper head to permit said raising and lowering movement of the looper head, and supplemental pattern mechanism under the control of the main pattern mechanism of the machine for operating said cam bars selectively.

10. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with knitting instrumentalities including an upright needle cylinder and'needles supported therein for producing a knit fabric, of a looper head mounted above said cylinder, a series of loopers mounted in said head and associated, respectively, with individual needles in said series, said loopers serving to guide supplemental yarns to theirrespective needles, mechanism for revolving said needle cylinder, a bracketpositioned above. said looper head, a gear mounted horizontally on said bracket, means for revolving sa d gear in unison with said needle cylinder, a shaft mounted to rotate with, but slidable axially through, said gear, said looper head being mounted on the lower end of said shaft, and means for supporting said shaft at a fixed distance above sa d needle cylinder.

11, A machine according to preceding claim 10 in which said gear carries a bobbin stand mounted above it and is provided with thread guiding eyes through wh ch to guide the threads led from the bobbins. the looper head also being provided with thread guiding eyes through which said strands may be led to the interior of the looper head and thence to the loopers.

12. A- circular knitting machine having, in combination, a circular series of needles, an upright cylinder for supporting said needles, means for guiding a main yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to produce a knit fabric, a series of loopers associated, respectively,

, with individual needles of said circular series and head mounted above said needles, each of said loopers being mounted in said head for movement to present its yarn to its respective needles, each looperalso having a lug projecting therefrom and the lugs of certain of said loopers being located in different elevations, cam members mounted at one side of said looper head for engaging the lugs of said loopers and operating them selectively, a pattern drum having removable cam elements, connections between said elements and said cam members for causing said elements to operate said cam members selectively, means for giving said patterndrum a step by step rotative movement, and actuating means for said pattern drum adjustable to vary automatically the ratio between the rotation of said drum and the speed of the machine while the knitting operation continues uninterruptedly.

, 13. Acircular knitting machine having,incombination, a circular series of needles, an upright cylinder for supporting said needles, means for guiding a main yarn to said needles, means for operating said needles to produce a knit fabric, a series of loopers associated, respectively, with individual needles of said circular series and each serving to wrap a supplemental yarn around the needle with which it is associated, a looper head mounted above said needles, each of said loopers being mounted in'said'head for movement to present its yarn to its respective needles, each looper also, having a lug being located in different elevations,-cam bars disposed in a vertical tier adjacent to said looper head for engaging the lugs of said loopers and operating them selectively, an upright pattern drum having removable cam elements, a vertically disposed series of levers arranged between said drum and cam bars for transmitting movement from the pattern cam elements on the drum to said cam bars for operating said loopers selectively, and means for giving said pattern drum a step by step rotative movement.

14. In a circular hosiery knitting machine, the combination with knitting instrumentalities including an upright revolving needle cylinder and,

fabric, of a looper head mounted above said cylinder, a series of loopers mounted in said head and associated, respectively, with individual needles in said series, said loopers serving to guide supplemental. yarns to their respective needles, said loopers having lugs projecting therefrom with the lugs of certain of said loopers located at different elevations from those of other loopers, a series of normally stationary cam barsarranged at different elevations for engaging the lugs of said loopers and operating them selec- 12o needles supported therein for producing a knit v tively, means for supporting said cam bars at one ALBERT E. STEWART.

CERTIFICATE or coRREcnon Patent No. 1,943, 265. January 9, 1934.

ALBERT E. STEWART.

it ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 7, line. 106, claim 13, after "lug" insert the words projecting therefrom and the lugs of certain of said loopers; and \that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in' the Patent Office,

Signed and sealed this l3th'dayof February, A. D. 1934.

I F. M Hopkins (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

